


Space Tourism

by Smokedcapybara



Series: (Apprentice) Park Ranger Handsome [11]
Category: Dear Evan Hansen - Pasek & Paul/Levenson
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-29
Updated: 2019-01-29
Packaged: 2019-10-18 16:04:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17584019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Smokedcapybara/pseuds/Smokedcapybara
Summary: Connor wasn’t nervous. Not at all. He was just maybe planning on possibly telling his best friend that he was kinda in love with him. Why would he be nervous?He was so nervous.





	Space Tourism

Connor wasn’t nervous. Not at all. He was just maybe planning on possibly telling his best friend that he was kinda in love with him. Why would he be nervous?

He was _so_ nervous.

He’d been sketching in silence since Hansen arrived, trying to psych himself up to just say it. _‘I’m in love with you.’ It’s not that hard. Just five words._

He opened his mouth. He was gonna say it.

“I’m starting therapy this week.”

_What?! That was not the plan!_

“Oh.” Hansen was smiling up at him and Connor felt himself relax. “Good. That-that’s good right?”

“Yeah. At least, I hope so.” He smiled back at Hansen. _I’ll just… tell him next time. Totally._

“Great!”

Connor let out a soft laugh and bumped Hansen gently with his shoulder. “Yeah, I… I talked to my mom about it over the weekend and she talked to Larry and now I’ve got my first appointment in just a few days. To be completely honest I’m… kinda terrified?” He grimaced and looked down at his sketchbook, staring at the half-done portrait of Hansen as if it could tell him how words work. “Like, what if it doesn’t help and I’m just wasting my family’s money and the therapist’s time? I mean,” taking a breath, he closed his eyes, “I know I’ve already been improving but I just- I can’t stop worrying about it, you know?”

“I understand.”

The words were gentle and kind and Connor finally looked back at Hansen. He was smiling softly at him and there was this look in his eyes like… like he really did understand. Connor felt a wave of relief wash over him.

And then he was grinning and Hansen was grinning and things were ok.

“On a lighter note, Space Tourism. Thoughts?”

Hansen snorted. “Space Tourism?”

“Space Tourism.” Connor repeated with a ridiculous smile.

“Right.” Hansen shook his head slowly. “I guess it’d be cool?” Shrugging, he smiled tentatively.

“You _guess_ it’d be _cool?_ ” Connor narrowed his eyes at Hansen, struggling to keep a straight face.

“Um… yeah?”

“Just _cool?”_

Hansen stared up at him, blinking slowly.

“ _Space Tourism_ Hansen,” he let a wild grin slide across his face, “ _casual space travel!_ That’s not just _cool,_ it’s awesome! Imagine getting to travel the galaxy and come back home in under a year. That would be way more than _cool.”_

“Isn’t that impossible?”

“Right now yeah.” Connor scoffed. “But who knows, we might live to see it.”

“Maybe.”

“You could at least pretend to be more excited.” He pouted.

“Ok, but it’s actually a little scary.” Hansen cringed slightly and started gesturing loosely as he explained. “I mean, what if something goes wrong and you’re stuck out in the middle of space and nobody knows what happened? Or-or everyone on the ship could just die instantly without any warning at all because something broke that wasn’t supposed to-”

“Ok, ok.” Connor interrupted before he could work himself up any further. “No space tourism for the anxious bean, got it.”

“Anxious bean?” Hansen let out an incredulous laugh.

“Yup.” He smirked. “It’s your official title now, sorry.”

_“What?”_ The word was shaky with Hansen’s laughter, the side of his mouth pulled up in a half-smile.

“There’s no changing it.”

“Oh, no, nonono, I’m not letting you stick me with ‘anxious bean’ as my ‘official title’” He jabbed his pointer finger into Connor’s chest, trying and failing to glare at him.

“Would you prefer Tree Boy?”

Hansen paused, squinting. “ _Maybe…_ ” He dragged the word out long.

“Tree Boy it is.” Connor grinned.

“Only if I get to call you Space Boy.” Hansen countered quickly.

“Not Butterfly Boy?”

Hansen burst into laughter. “I forgot about that.” He gasped in a breath and forced the laughter down. _“Butterfly Boy.”_ And then he was off again, giggling madly into Connor’s shoulder.

“Oh! I just remembered!” Connor dug into his shoulder bag and pulled out a bag. “I brought candy!”

Hansen stared at it for a moment. “Sour Patch Kids?”

“Yeah! Want some?” He shook the bag at Hansen.

“Um no, they’re too sour for me.”

“Too sour?!” He clutched the bag to his chest and shot Hansen an incredulous look. “ _Impossible_.”

“Sorry. I just don’t really like sour candy much.” Hansen lifted his hands in surrender as he spoke.

“I don’t think we can be friends anymore.” Connor made sure to smile lightly as he said it so Hansen would know he was just joking. He waited for Hansen to smile shakily back before continuing. “So what kind of candy _do_ you like then?”

“I don’t know… really sweet stuff?” He took a minute to think. “I like chocolate. Um… Starburst. Butterscotch. Oh! _Skittles_.”

“Oh good.”

“What?”

Connor reached back into his bag and pulled out a large pack of Skittles. He dropped it lightly into Hansen’s lap.

“Oh. Thanks.” Hansen carefully tore the pack open.

“Yeah, well. Friends buy their friends candy, right?”

“Right.” He looked down with a small smile. “Still. Thank you.”

They sat for a while, just eating their candy and enjoying each other’s presence.

“What do you think you wanna do when you graduate high school?”

Connor looked down at Hansen in thoughtful silence before answering carefully.

“I’m not sure. I haven’t really thought about it.” He sighed. “I know my parents will expect me to go to college, but I don’t know if that’s something I want to do. Or at least, not right away. You know? Maybe I’ll start selling art or something, that might be nice.” A pause. “What about you?”

Hansen let out a small, sad laugh. “College has always been the plan for me. If we can afford it. And if I can get in anywhere. The whole thing makes me so anxious.” He stopped and a small smile tugged at his lips. “I think… maybe… I’d like to write a book? I mean, I just really like writing, it’s so much easier than talking. I don’t know what I’d write a book about though.”

Connor smiled at him. “That’s ok, you’ve got time to figure that out.”

“That’s true.” Hansen grinned up at him. “Thanks.”

Connor threw an arm around Hansen’s shoulders and pulled him closer into his side.

“Anytime.”


End file.
